All You Zombies Dance!
by Gemkat5
Summary: Jareth helps Sarah have a special Halloween she'll never forget. A little oneshot I slapped together in honor of Halloween. This is in response to the Halloween 2010 jdbfangirlharem challenge.


This is in response to the Halloween 2010 jdbfangirlharem challenge:  
Characters: Jareth/Sarah plus any others  
Genre: Romance either by itself or in combination with any others  
Length: One-shot  
Elements to include: A black cat, demon, magical brooms and the Dance of the Dead.

**A/N**: I hope you enjoy this. I've tried writing this on a lighter note – not so serious and hopefully more amusing than the drama I usually write. Let me know how I'm doing with that.

**Disclaimer**: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed.

**Summary**: Jareth helps Sarah have a special Halloween she'll never forget. A little oneshot I slapped together in honor of Halloween. This is in response to the Halloween 2010 jdbfangirlharem challenge.

**All You Zombies… Dance!**

Sarah Williams started cleaning up the Halloween decorations she'd adorned her home with the minute the clock struck midnight, officially ending the night of the dead. Having cobwebs that everyone marveled at, since they weren't bought in stores, and enough glow in the dark glitter to make even the Goblin King cringe, her haunted house tour had been a walking dead hit. With the help from her Underground friends, that is.

Her living room had been magically transformed into a torture chamber, where the Fiery's 'mechanically' dismembered each other repeatedly throughout the night. By the time they went home at eleven o'clock none of them had the same parts that they had arrived with. But, seriously, Sarah didn't think they even noticed. The dining room had played a re-enactment of Hoggle spraying fairies to death, and loving every minute of it, over and over. Again, the entire room had been enchanted to look like the garden by the labyrinth wall, when in fact, it was simply one of Jareth's crystals magnified to the room's original dimensions.

From the dining room, the trick or treaters were led into the kitchen where goblins chased, fought, and all but actually killed a dozen chickens, trying to get them into a cauldron that had been set up in the center of the room, complete with a fire underneath. The original theme was supposed to have been a parody of the Swedish Chief, unfortunately the goblins had no idea who that was, but understood "get chickens into the pot without killing them". The goblins needed no other props as the chickens kept them more than busy for the better part of five hours. This room had the most magic in it, as you can imagine, to keep the trick or treaters safe as they walked through, and the chickens and goblins contained from the rest of the house. All in all, Jareth had out done himself as far as Sarah was concerned.

By ten forty-five Sarah had to convince the older crowd of Halloweeners, that kept coming back with more friends, that enough was enough, and to come back next year. By eleven o'clock every Underground denizen had magically returned home, taking all their props with them. Now it was time to clean up the rest of the mess. Taking her broom in hand, she started by dismantling the cobwebs, grateful that the huge spider that had made them went back home after she was done weaving her webs.

"Sarah."

Sarah turned around at hearing her name to see the most hideous thing her eyes had ever befell stalking down the hallway towards her. "Aaaaaahhh!" Dropping her broom, she ran screaming to hide in the nearest closet. "Jareth!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Jareth! There's a demon in my house!"

"Now, why, I wonder, would a demon be in your house? On this particular night of all nights," he quipped with humor in his voice, appearing in the closet with her.

"I don't know, and I don't care. Just get rid of it!"

"My, my, aren't we testy tonight?"

"Jareth please…"

"Very well," he breathed resigned, and opened the closet door to stick his head out into the hallway. "Glob, go home. The Lady didn't appreciate your costume." With a sullen face, the larger than most goblin vanished from Sarah's home immediately. Ducking back inside the closet, Jareth closed the door. "There. Demons are all gone. I don't suppose I can have a little treat for my heroics?" he grinned slyly.

"It was a goblin?" she asked, her entire body going slack with relief. "Are you serious? It was only a goblin?"

"Yes, it was only a seriously frightening goblin."

"Augh," she sounded, dropping her head against his chest with relieved embarrassment. "I feel stupid."

"Ah, you are far from stupid, my Lady," he stated charmingly. "Everyone in the kingdom knows that."

Sarah raised her head to look up at him in the dark. She smiled wistfully, and snaked her hands around his slim waist. "You always make me feel better, no matter what I do or how I mess things up."

"I know," he smiled, bending his head to place his lips over hers. "Happy Halloween, Sarah."

She returned his kiss, responding to the heat he always drew from the inner core of her being, then broke the kiss in a delicate manner. "I hate to tell you, but, the Holiday is over. It's after midnight here."

"Yes, but the witching hour hasn't even begun yet," he informed her with a grin.

"Witching hour?" She shook her head to clear the muddle in her mind. "Technically, that would be now. Between twelve and one."

"Whoever told you that, lied. Witching hour," he began to explain while nuzzling her neck. "Is between the hours of one and three in the A.M."

"That's two hours, Jareth," she pointed out breathlessly, his attentions starting to have their effect on her.

"Technically, it's three. They generally start at midnight because witches can't do anything properly within one hour, so they've allotted themselves enough time to have cake... or some such thing… in the middle of their rituals."

"You are so full of it," she laughed, lightly pushing him back.

"Am I?" he questioned affronted. "You didn't even recognize a goblin in a costume, but you know I fabricate such a thing as the appropriate time frame for witching hour?"

"Well," Sarah voiced with doubt. "Since you put it that way, I guess you're being honest."

"Such a large pill to swallow for you, I realize. But, I speak the truth none the less." He placed a chaste kiss upon her forehead before opening the closet door to step into the hallway. "I still have some magic left," he stated off handedly, brushing a some wayward cobwebs from his leather coat. "You simply can't imagine how much magic we absorb from this realm on this one night alone."

"You're right, I can't imagine," Sarah replied, stepping into the hallway and closing the closet door. "But, everything was great tonight, Jareth. Thank you so much for letting my friends help out, and I really am grateful to you for using your magic."

"I know," he remarked with a grin, turning to face her with his eyes alit with mischief. "I was very generous tonight, wasn't I?"

"Yes, Jareth," she quipped with an amused, knowing grin on her face as she moved closer to him. "You were extremely generous."

"Well," he quipped curiously when all she did was smirk up at him with her arms around his neck. "What do I get for it?"

"You," she stated as she tapped the tip of his nose with her forefinger. "Get to help clean up." She moved from him with purposeful steps, retrieved the broom she'd abandoned in her fright, and continued sweeping the cobwebs from the ceiling.

"I beg your pardon?" Jareth stated in a clear, crisp tone. "I'm not entirely sure I heard you correctly. But," he paused to chuckle with feigned humor. "I'd swear you just commanded me to help… clean."

"Command is such a strong word," Sarah replied, leaning on the broom stick while she looked over at him. "I meant it as a polite request. I mean, most of this stuff came from your kingdom, and… you're the one who insisted that I needed all this glitter."

"It glows in the dark, you realize."

"Yes, Jareth, I am more than aware of how it glows in the dark. I wouldn't need to use my electric lighting ever again with this stuff in my home."

"Then, why clean it?" Sarah dipped her head to one side to give him a pointed look in response to his question. "Oh, very well," he conceded begrudgingly. "Hand me the broom."

"Really?" she asked in shocked surprise, moving to hand him the broom. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," he muttered disgruntled. "I can't very well enchant it from across the room, now can I?"

Sarah let a short puff of air escape her mouth. "I should've known," she stated, more to herself, as she handed him the broom.

He held the broom upside down and looked at the bristles as though he couldn't decide what to do with it. Then, after a moment, he blew lightly upon it from one side to the other, as one would do to blow out candles on a cake. With that done he flipped the broom right-side up, placed it to stand on the floor, and let it go.

Sarah had to step back as it started sweeping on its own accord, the glitter on the floor magically disappeared when the now magical broom touched it. "You never cease to amaze me, Goblin King," Sarah stated in awe.

"I've got a lot more where that came from," he stated suggestively, moving close enough to place his hands on her hips. "if you'd like to stick around forever."

"We already talked about that," she chastised in a patient tone, distracting herself by playing with a blue lock of his hair. "Besides, you've already asked me to stay with you, and my answer is going to be the same as it was then."

"Aw, but that was such a long time ago," he pouted.

"It was two days ago, Jareth, and don't pout, it really doesn't suite you."

"Like I said, it's been such a long time. And, if getting my way by pouting works, then I'll pout all through the night."

"It's not working, so stop."

"Fine," he replied definitively, in a much more kingly pouting manner. "Well," he announced abruptly, and in much better spirits. "Seeing as I'm helping to rid your home of glitter, you are now obligated to come with me."

"Jareth…" she breathed impatiently, sagging her shoulders tiredly.

"Don't say my name like that," he interrupted solemnly. "You don't even know 'where' I intend to take you."

"I can pretty much guess where, Jareth."

"I bet you can't," he stated challengingly. "Would you like to make a wager?"

"I…" Sarah wasn't familiar with this new tactic to get her to go back to the labyrinth with him, but she knew damn well that she wasn't going to make a bet with him. Especially when she didn't know any of the rules. "No. But, I'd like to see where you were planning to take me, if not your kingdom."

Jareth studied her intently for a brief moment, then smiled. "Crafty wording, Sarah. Very crafty indeed." He stepped back from her as a crystal appeared at his fingertips. "You're going to need a change of clothes," he stated thoughtfully, peering into the crystal intently, shifted his gaze towards Sarah briefly, then back to the crystal once more. Satisfied with his magic, he moved further back down the hall, and pulled his arm back over his shoulder, the crystal in his throwing hand.

Sarah braced herself for the impact with eyes squeezed shut. She'd discovered that it didn't hurt to be hit with his crystals, so to speak, but sometimes the magic that came out of them stung, as though hitting water from a diving board the wrong way. But, that sensation never lasted more than a few seconds. This time, however, his magic was nearly undetected. Sarah had to open her eyes to actually see that she wore different attire.

"Rags, Jareth?" she questioned, touching the torn hem of the tatter shirt he'd placed on her. Luckily it covered her modestly, though the pants were almost nothing more than strips of cloth attached to a waistband.

"Yes, we're going to see the zombies. You need to dress the part."

"Zombies?" she asked fearfully. "Are you talking about real… zombies?"

"Is it me, or are you becoming increasingly conservative as you grow older?" he questioned as he approached her with smooth, even strides. "Five years ago you would have never cringed at the thought of going off with me to someplace adventurous."

"Five years ago I was a loner with no friends. And I would've cringed at the mention of zombies back then, too."

"Why?"

"Because zombies eat people!"

"Whoever told you that, lied. Come, come. We'll be late if we delay another moment. Before Sarah could argue or even think Jareth had her in his arms with a crystal ready to burst with magic. Instinctively, she buried her face into his chest, not liking this means of travel all that much. When she opened her eyes she found them standing in the midst of hundreds of… zombies.

"I hate you, Jareth, I really do," she whispered fearfully, clinging to him all the more for protection.

"Shh. It's about to start."

"Start? What do you mean… start?"

Just then an ear splitting cackling rent the air from overhead and all around. Placing her hands over her ears, Sarah noticed speakers mounted on tall poles around the perimeter of the area. "We're in a parking lot," she stated observantly, as the entire area grew quiet. "Jareth, these are just people in costumes."

"I never said they were 'real' zombies, now did I?," he replied airily. "First you were frightened by a goblin, then you leave claw marks in my skin at the sight of pretend zombies. Tsk, tsk, tsk… I'm beginning to worry, Sarah."

"Oh, shut up! It's not like you gave me any warning!"

Another static click was heard through the speakers, and then the beginning notes of a very famous, tell tale song blared loud and clear. "Oh my god, Jareth," Sarah whispered, feeling herself becoming excited. Everything suddenly made sense. "It's the Thriller 'Dance of the Dead' memorial!" She was suddenly pressed up against him with her arms around his neck, as she jumped up and down. "I love you, Jareth! I swear I DO!" she yelled over the increasing tempo of the music, and planted a firm kiss upon his lips. "I tried so hard to a get ticket to this! Thank you SO much!"

"Then, I suggest you turn around and start dancing, my new Queen," he replied with a pleased, self righteous gleam in his eyes.

Sarah was so excited that his words hadn't reached her conscious mind until later, after she found herself back in the labyrinth. But, at this moment in time, she let her arms drop to her sides and turned to face forward along with everyone else to dance the extended version, a full fifty- seven minutes, to the most famous song in the world, according to Sarah that is, on Halloween. Life just didn't get better than this!

XxXxX

"Okay, run this by me again," Sarah was saying, pacing before Jareth as he lounged lazily upon his throne in the Labyrinth Kingdom. "I said, 'I love you', gave you a kiss, and you took that as a marriage agreement!" She was livid, to say the least. "I was excited about the memorial, Jareth! I don't even remember saying 'I do'!"

"Would you like me to show you again?" he offered, holding up the crystal in his hand for the umpteenth time. At least she was starting to calm down little by little. Each time she ranted about her new station as his queen she seemed to accept it just that little bit more. He was most grateful that he'd placed the pivotal moment into a crystal for her viewing later. Her reaction, though not completely unexpected, had been fairly violent when she watched herself say her words, over and over again before throwing the crystal at Jareth's head. Luckily she'd missed, but even his goblins had run for their lives.

"Would you like me to show you what you can do with that crystal?" she retorted angrily. "I wanted to finish school. I told you that! I wanted to do certain things, and go certain places, before agreeing to come here forever!"

"Sarah," Jareth addressed evenly as he rose to his feet, his patience at its end. "I've told you since the first time we met that I wanted you to stay with me. I've been more than patient with giving you some time to grow, age, and mature. But, I will not deny myself any longer." He stepped down from the throne to stand in front of her. "I didn't make you say those words, you spoke them from your heart, of your own free will, Sarah! And I will not be without you another day!"

"You're right," she whispered after a moments thoughtful pause, causing Jareth to lean back on his heel to look at her warily. "As much as I wanted to wait, and do things, and go places in my own world I wanted to come back with you more and more every time you came to see me." She stepped up closer to him and placed a hand at the side of his face. "I just wanted to be… better, for your sake. I wanted to learn more, mature more, understand what I was getting into more… before coming back."

"But, that's the magic of this place, Sarah. You will still become all of those things just by being by my side. Your world was starting to pull you away from my magic, from me. You were frightened by a goblin in a costume, doesn't that tell you how far you've wandered in the wrong direction?"

"Yea," she smiled up at him. "I see it now. Actually, I saw the goblin in his costume while I was having my fit, and I have to admit that I have no idea how I thought that was a demon."

"It's what your world does to the imagination, Sarah, nothing more."

"Then, it's a good thing you're persistent, and wouldn't let me forget."

"I'll tell you of another good thing, would you like to hear it?"

"Yes, tell me another good thing, Jareth."

"You are finally my queen, and I deserve an act of gratitude from my new queen for all the curses you've thrown at me during the past hour and a half."

"I think I can comply to that," Sarah replied with a grin, tip-toeing to meet his lips with hers.

"No! Not throne room!"

Sarah and Jareth broke their kiss just in time to see a black cat running for all it was worth into the throne room, a horde of goblins following behind. After darting this way and that, the scared feline ran directly between their legs to avoid the goblins, and ran back out again.

"Isn't it bad luck to have a black cat cross your path?" Sarah asked after all the goblins abandoned the throne room in the chase.

"Whoever told you that, lied," Jareth answered. "Black cats are no more bad luck than my goblins are..."

"Fire!" The shout was heard just before a loud explosion, and the drawn out wailing of a cat being shot from a cannon. Within another minute loud screaming and shouting was heard from the city below. "Run for your lives!"

Curious, Sarah and Jareth went to the window to see hundreds of black cats entering the goblin city and chasing the goblins towards the castle. Turning his head to the side, Jareth magically raised the draw bridge, closing the castle off from the city. "I'd say it's bad luck to cross a black cat's path more so than the other way around," Jareth remarked. "Are you ready to show me how generous you can be, my Queen?"

"I can't think of a better time, my King."

THE END

A/N: I want it to be known that my referring to 'Thriller' (performed by Michael Jackson) as a 'Dance of the Dead' does not in any way reflect MJ's passing, nor is it meant to be disrespectful to Michael. My intention was solely to reflect the ghouls and zombies from the song itself and the dance that ensued in the video. Thank you.


End file.
